How Jeffrey Epstein Used The Glamour Of The Nobel Peace Prize To Entice His Global Network Of Elites

Newly released Justice Department documents show that Jeffrey Epstein frequently highlighted his connection to the former head of the Nobel Peace Prize committee when communicating with powerful and wealthy figures.

The files reveal that Epstein repeatedly mentioned Thorbjørn Jagland, who led the Norwegian Nobel Committee from 2009 to 2015. Jagland’s name appears hundreds of times across millions of pages of documents that were released last month.

Since the release of those files, Jagland, now 75, has been charged in Norway with “aggravated corruption.” The investigation is being handled by Økokrim, Norway’s national authority for economic and environmental crime. Authorities are looking into whether Jagland received gifts, travel benefits, or loans connected to his official position. Police recently searched his home in Oslo as well as two other properties in different parts of Norway. His lawyers have said he denies the accusations and has cooperated with investigators.

The documents do not show clear evidence that Epstein directly lobbied for a Nobel Peace Prize decision. However, they show that he repeatedly emphasized that Jagland stayed at his homes in New York and Paris during the 2010s. Epstein appeared to use this connection to impress influential contacts.

In one 2018 text message exchange, Epstein wrote to Steve Bannon, a former adviser to Donald Trump, suggesting that Trump would be shocked to learn that Bannon was friendly with the person who would soon help decide the Nobel Peace Prize. Epstein even hinted that Trump should receive the prize “next year” if certain geopolitical issues were resolved, though he did not explain further.

In other messages, Epstein also mentioned Jagland while speaking with well-known global figures. In 2013, he emailed Richard Branson to say Jagland would be staying at his property and suggested Branson might find him “interesting.” He contacted Larry Summers in 2012 with a similar message, noting that the “head of the Nobel Peace Prize” was staying with him.

Epstein also reached out to Bill Gates, mentioning that Jagland had been reelected to another leadership position in Europe. Gates responded by asking whether Jagland’s role with the Nobel Peace Prize committee was still secure.

Jagland served as chair of the Nobel committee during the time it awarded the Peace Prize to Barack Obama in 2009 and to the European Union in 2012. He also previously served as Norway’s prime minister and as head of the Council of Europe, a human rights organization.

The files also show that Jagland was introduced into Epstein’s network through Terje Rød Larsen, a diplomat known for helping negotiate the Oslo Peace Accords between Israel and the Palestinians. Larsen and his wife are also facing corruption charges in Norway related to their connections with Epstein.

While the documents reveal how Epstein tried to build influence by associating himself with global leaders and institutions, they do not currently provide proof of direct interference in Nobel Prize decisions. However, the repeated references show that Epstein used his relationship with Jagland as a way to elevate his status when communicating with elites.

Authorities in Norway continue their investigation, and journalists reviewing the millions of pages of files are still uncovering new details about Epstein’s international connections.